Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Corrupt Principal ❯ In Death ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

By: MellyN

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Corrupt Principal

By: Melissa Norvell

Chapter 5: In Death

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"Are you sure that you want to do this, your highness? You're going to cause a panic." Announcing their findings to the Peace Hall didn't seem wise. Saying that Prince Schnitzel was out of commission would throw everyone into hysteria and who knew what type of uprising that would cause?

"Silence," Prussia didn't want to hear any more of what Ulysses had to say. "Ulysses Progmeyer, you've been by my side for how long?"

"Since you were seven, my lord. I practically raised you. In fact, I'm the only one you've been around for many years." Due to problems that the prince had, the only one that was been allowed contact with him was Ulysses himself. He knew things about Prussia that he would not dare repeat to anyone and was regarded as his most loyal advisor.

"Have you ever known me to go against my ruling methods?" The blonde had always based himself on knowing the truth and expressing it to the people. He believed that hiding the truth or covering it up only made the masses think that the monarchy was corrupt. That was not the image that he wanted them to have of him.

"I suppose you have a point. What do we do about the current situations, my lord?" Ulysses knew better than to try and argue with the stubborn prince. Prussia was adamant about what he believed should and shouldn't be said to the public, and even if he felt it was a mistake, he would stick faithfully by his side.

Prussia explained the plans of action that would be taken. They would hold a funeral for Prime Minister Kihara. The prince felt that he owed it to the man and was the least he could have done to honor his death. After that, he intended to get in touch with the Japanese government and try to have a conference with them about apprehending whoever it was who possessed his brother and murdered Kihara. He had also suggested that Kanon Fussinii accompany them on their journey.

"Prince Prussia, are you sure? She's still injured." Putting their lives in the hand of an injured protector didn't seem like something that was a good thing to do. He didn't understand why the prince was making such out there choices.

What kind of motives could Prussia have? Why did he choose Kanon for the job?

"She's the only one with sufficient information about my brother's possession. Also, I want to find out what kind of method he's using to posses people. What is this power? What is it called? How does one come to posses such a power? If we can find out its secrets, perhaps we could learn to harness it. I'm not for using such a power unless I have to, but the sheer scientific study and knowledge gained would be a great achievement for Titannia." There were many possibilities for finding someone with such a power, and uncovering the many mysteries of this power, as well as putting a stop to those who were using it wrongly would be enough to put Titannia in good standing with the people. Not only that, but they could unlock Schnitzel's possession before anything catastrophic happened.

"In a way, it could help your expansion, Prince Prussia," Ulysses liked where the prince was going with this idea. "As for now, you are the second most powerful man in the world. If we learned to harness this mind control power, then we could take over countries peacefully."

A deep frown adorned the Prince's unflawed features as he place a hand to his forehead in dismay and turned his head to the side. That was not the type of rule that he wanted. He sighed at the very fact that Ulysses would dare to think that he longed for such an atrocity.

"I would never do such a horrid thing."

"Why? It's a flawless plan-" Ulysses tried to convince the prince that there was nothing wrong with simply wanting to rule in peace. If Prussia had control over all countries in such a way, then there would be no fighting. The leaders could submit to him by means of mind control. It was perfect.

Prussia cut him off. "Perhaps, but what would happen if the mind control were to cease? Everyone would remember, and we'd be exposed as tyrants. I am no tyrant."

"Of course…How rash of me," the advisor felt stupid for his suggestion. He would never want to wrong his leader in any way. If that were to happen, a plan like that would get Prussia the harshest of punishment.

"It was a good theory, but it would end in failure," the blonde made himself presentable and instructed the elder man to turn on the screen and begin to stream live feed to everyone. Ulysses agreed and flipped the switch, allowing monitors and screens all over his area to light up with his image.

"Attention people of Japan and fellow Titannians! I, Prince Prussia Vi Cossattia, the first crowned prince of Titannia have some important announcements to make," Prussia's voice boomed out over the mass of people that had been going about their everyday life. They all turned to look at the prince's image on the various screens. "Titannian and Japanese military have confirmed that the late Prime Minister, Kenichi Kihara has been brutally murdered by an unknown assailant, as well as several soldiers, both Titannian and Japanese. Prince Schnitzel Eau Cossattia has also been captured by this unknown assailant."

The broadcast had even reached the claimed to be unknown assailant, one Kuromoji, who sat upon a decorative chair with one leg crossed over the other, resting his head in his hand with a smile of amusement on his face. Schnitzel was standing obediently by his side, listening to his elder brother's words.

'Prussia…'

The blonde wore a pained look that was chiseled onto his features as he placed a hand over his heart. "As viceroy, I will help assist Japan as they struggle to find the murderer. My heart has been pained, to think that such a horrible event would occur during a future alliance between two great nations."

As the prince made his speech, a young man stood out in the crowd, wearing a black shirt with a tan jacket and blue jeans. The prince's image reflected in his dark sunglasses as he watched the broadcast with observant eyes. 'What are you doing, Prince Prussia?'

"I ask you all to work with me and if you know any information regarding these horrendous acts, I implore you to report to the Japanese government building and assist us in our efforts," Prussia nearly begged the masses to help him in their search for the killer. It was not a matter of race. This problem would affect everyone if they allowed it to go on.

He just hoped that the people would ban together with him to get the problem solved.

However, the masses thought very differently on the matter.

"What the hell? Who does this guy think he is, stepping in and running the show?" A tough-looking man with long, black hair asked as he took a puff off of a large cigar.

"Yeah, he's not even from Japan," another male, clad in business attire agreed.

"He probably wants to seize control of the Japanese government so that the Prime Minister will be picked by him. That way, we'd have to ally with Titannia!" A third male pointed a finger in accusation at the prince's image.

"He probably killed the Prime Minister himself! Tyrant!" A woman shouted as the group of males agreed with her.

This was too much. They were all assuming things that weren't even true. At this point, there would be a very bad uprising if he didn't step in. "We can't just jump to conclusions," he spoke out as all of the protestor's attention was directed at him. "We have to wait it out."

"What are you saying?" The business-clad man asked in slight irritation. Was this man trying to defend the prince? What was he thinking? Did he not just hear what the prince was saying?

"Aren't you part of the Japanese military?" The woman was sure that she had seen Suzuki before. Why would a Japanese soldier defend Titannia rule? Was he brainwashed, or just crazy?

"Even so, Titannia came to be our allies. We have to give them a chance. That's what the Prime Minister would want," Suzuki replied as the prince's voice intoned over their conversation.

"Now, would you please join me in a moment of silence for the lives lost in this brutal massacre?" Prussia placed his hand over his chest and closed his eyes.

Suzuki saluted and stood in silence as he thought to himself. 'Nothing…No amount of silence can bring them back. What's dead is dead, Prince Prussia.'

"We will have a funeral in honor of Prime Minister Kenichi Kihara. It will take place in the Imperial garden, starting at ten o' clock sharp, next Tuesday. If you wish to pay your respect to the Prime Minister, you are welcome to attend. There will be heightened security. I will not let Japan fall to such terrorist activity. Rest assured, you will not regret putting your faith in me," Prussia's words were genuinely spoken before the screen cut off to black.

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"So…They'll be having a funeral for him…I think I'll go and surprise them. I'm Japanese, so they should let me in," Kuromoji thought aloud to himself as the smile on his face widened. This would be his chance to make himself known to the prince and all of his followers.

It was time to make his debut as the masked killer.

'What should I do? I'm in a situation and I've got to get out of here.' Dark blue eyes shifted to his captor. 'How do I get my freedom while I'm still under this possession?' Schnitzel thought to himself as what Jia-Jing said before resurfaced in his memory.

'Anyone can give you a command, and you'd have no choice but to obey them.'

'I'll have to wait until he gives me vague enough comment that gives me enough free range to break away. Since I'm also being commanded to be aware of what's happening, it works out fine, as long as Kuromoji doesn't catch on. I'll have to play my cards well, but be an underhanded puppet. This could get complicated.' The black-haired puppet thought to himself. He just hoped that because of his age and inexperience that he could find leeway enough in his commands to play off his underhanded plans.

A hand was placed on the back of the prince's head as the boy smiled at him. "Say, I think we should go to the Prime Minister's funeral. What about you, dear Schnitzel?"

"If that is your wish, master," he obediently replied. 'What is he planning? There are several factors here…The Prince will be there, and so will several important members of the Japanese government. Whatever this is, it's been preorchestrated…That means that everyone is doing what he wants them to do.'

"This is wonderful," Kuromoji ran his hands lovingly down the elder man's face. "I'm going to have a little fun with you." The boy said playfully as he placed a gun in the fallen prince's hands.

Blank eyes glanced down to the gun in hands as the tyrant's plans had finally begun to make sense. 'Oh no! He's going to make me massacre those people.' This was horrible! He was about to play the role of Massacre Prince once again, and this time, it was to his own brother.

"I command you to go with me to the funeral, and don't starting shooting until I say so," Kuromoji could not afford to screw this up. If he played his cards right, he would be able to assassinate Prince Prussia and get the meddling prince out of his way for good, before he caused any more suspicion.

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The precession for the funeral headed down the road and could be seen for miles around. Armed security surrounded the elaborate hearse that contained the Prime Minister's body, as well as the other government vehicles, both Titannian and Japanese. The prince's black limo followed mid-way down the line, setting itself apart from the Japanese officials. Inside, Prussia sat on a red velvet seat, with Suzuki and Ulysses sitting on both sides of him.

"Why am I riding in here?" Suzuki questioned after a moment of silence. He felt very uncomfortable being surrounded by the Titannian big guns like Ulysses. It was as if they looked upon him with disdain.

"I want you to see my efforts for yourself before you prejudge me. We're the closest thing Japan has to a Prime Minister right now, and we were the closest to him on personal terms as well. Didn't you want that?" Prussia asked the soldier.

"Who killed him? The autopsy has already been performed, so why haven't the results been released?" Suzuki didn't want to hear sentimental rubbish; he wanted to know the truth behind everything. The prince was hiding something, but the question was what?

Suzuki didn't believe that the prince's motives were as pure as he made them out to be.

"They are under investigation," Prussia replied truth. Due to the possession, the autopsy results were being further explored to see if anything may have happened during the possession that could be beneficial to finding out how it took place and the scientific mechanics of it all.

"What?"

"Yes, when we picked apart the lab results, we found that some interesting activity took place in the Prime Minister's brain. The same kind of activity also took place in a few of the soldiers that were found that we believe it hit has a lot to do with possession," Ulysses broke down the situation to the Japanese male, so that he could understand what was going on.

"Possession?" Suzuki knew something was up, but were they really sure that this is what it was?

"Yes, according to the soldiers who lived from the incident, as well as Kanon's word, Prince Schnitzel was under the same type of possession," Ulysses confirmed.

"So, it's been confirmed?"

"We watched the footage from a surveillance camera that was in the room before the massacre," Ulysses informed.

"There were several other cameras as well, but nothing regarding the possessor's identity was caught on tape," Prussia added. They had no leads as to who had possessed everyone, but that was something they intended to find out.

"So, you have no idea who you're up against, do you?" This was bad. It was like they were stumbling in the dark for any remnants of who this sick individual might have been.

"Not at this moment. There are few clues regarding this situation. That makes things interesting," Prussia noted. Whoever was hiding their tracks, they knew how to keep themselves well away from both the public eye and the eyes of the government. It made them a very dangerous person and quite the challenge.

"Like what?" The Japanese male couldn't help but be pulled into this subject. This was information directly from the prince, and not to take advantage of such a thing would be idiotic.

"Whoever killed the Prime Minister, made him shoot himself," Prussia uncovered their latest findings from the autopsy. "There was no other evidence found. The only finger prints were on the gun and it was his personal handgun."

Just after those words were uttered, the windows shattered in the vehicle, and covered all inside in a rain of busted glass. The driver had been shot, which caused the car to swerve around in large circles.

"What in the hell is going on?" Prussia struggled to keep himself up in the seat.

"Get down," Suzuki narrowed his eyes as he hooked his arm around both Ulysses and the prince, tackling them to the floor of the car as their back window shattered and blood stained the top of the back seat.

The soldier questioned if everyone was alright. He knew that he had treated the prince harshly, and to lay a hand on his body was like committing murder.

"What's going on? Who would be so heartless as to destroy the Prime Minister's funeral?" Prussia questioned from below the soldier. He thought he had planned everything out. The security was the best in the world. How could everything have gone so wrong?

Unless…

"Stay inside, my lord," Suzuki opened the back door of the limo, which had now been stopped by a wall.

"Are you insane? It's a cage of death if I stay in here!" While the car provided some protection, there was no way to get away from any type of assault in there. It was like sitting in a barrel with a large target on it. Ulysses advised the prince to listen as Suzuki stepped out of the car.

He was greeted by a frightening sight. There was Schnitzel, pointing a gun at his face. It wasn't just any gun, it was an automatic machine gun, and the dark-haired man's cold eyes showed that he would not resist making him look like Swiss cheese if he dared to make any wrong moves.

"Prince Schnitzel Eau Cossattia?"

So, what Prussia said was true.

"I want you to be buried along with the Prime Minister," Schnitzel spoke as Prussia stumbled out of the limousine accompanied by Ulysses, who grabbed the noble's bicep.

"What madness is this?" Prussia asked before his ice blue eyes widened at the horror before him. "Schnitzel!"

The fallen man was silent.

'Those eyes…They're the same as what Kanon was describing….cold, blank and distorted and that blue ring around the outside…' Prussia observed as he stared helplessly into the eyes of the murderous prince.

"Die, Prince Prussia," Schnitzel ordered as he fired the gun at the prince.

Prussia was jerked harshly back into the car as he and Ulysses fell backwards into the seat. The blonde's pale body was atop of his advisor's as bullets flew past them, hitting the metal body of the car.

"How undignified," Prussia grumbled.

"That's the last thing you should be worrying about!" Ulysses scolded as the prince moved off of his body and peered over the back of the seat, only to be shot at again. The glass of another window shattered as his sunk down in the floor board to avoid both the glass and the bullets.

"Stop! What are you doing?" Suzuki yelled as the machine gun pointed at him. The young man's eyes widened. "You, you're the second most powerful man in the world. I thought you wanted peace for Japan and Titannia! Can't you see what you're doing is wrong? This is not the way to honor the dead! Let the Prime Minister die in peace!"

'I wish I could, but for now, I have no choice in what my body does.' Schnitzel thought in guilt as he heard Kuromoji's voice intone.

'Kill him. He's in the way.'

"Yes, master," Schnitzel could hear the soldier question what he said, only to be shot at. Suzuki managed to roll behind the limo and returned fire with his military pistol. Schnitzel continued to release another round of bullets into the car. Suzuki ducked behind the vehicle as another round of ammunition stuck into it and the sounds of bullets hitting metal, shattering glass and puncturing tires could be heard. The two continued firing rounds at each other.

Inside of the car, Ulysses instructed the prince to abandon their position inside of the car. Even though it was bullet proof, it was literally being inside of a target. He could not risk that kind of danger to the prince's body, or his own.

"No, wait….I want to see this for myself," Prussia stood his ground.

"What?! You're crazy! You'll be killed!" What on earth was that stubborn prince thinking?

"Standing your ground are you, Prince Prussia? You maybe a stronger adversary than I first anticipated. I shouldn't underestimate you just because you're a peaceful ruler," Kuromoji saw the true threat that was Prussia. The blonde was no pushover, and stood up against all of his challenges so far. He was a dangerous adversary so far, but the brown-haired teen knew that he had the edge on him by far.

However, he had to get the prince out of his way before the stands he took involved more than just the government. He could not let the word spread from that meddlesome blonde or his plot would be uncovered.

"Everyone can die now," Schnitzel said mechanically as he fired the machine gun once again. He fired at the other cars in the precession and at people in the crowds who had come to mourn the Prime Minister's passing. No one was exempt from his path of death. Both Titannian and Japanese succumb to death. Women, children, elderly, male and female bodies littered the ground. All around him, people ran and ducked behind the nearest object. Women covered their children and the elderly hid wherever they could run. A Titannian woman held the body of her dead little boy, crying as her son's blood leaked onto her black and white dress.

Everything was thrown into chaos, sorrow and destruction. The Prime Minister's funeral turned into a battle ground at the drop of a hat.

"This is clearly not my brother. Someone's possessed him. He's despondent and his eyes are that of a lifeless doll. He's nothing but a shell. It almost seems too cruel to keep him alive," Prussia remarked from his hiding place.

"My God! Is this truly what we're up against?" Ulysses watched out of the broken window at the massive amount of carnage that one person could cause.

'This…This is all hard to take in. I'm taking innocent lives with these hands. I'm killing my own and the Japanese….I wished to ally with them…Prime Minister Kihara….There is nothing that fills me with more regret than this moment.' Schnitzel thought to himself as people fell one by one, injured and dead by his hands and blood was splattered along the ground in artistic glory while Kuromoji laughed hysterically.

That laugh was haunting. It made him feel sick and miserable. It was the laugh of a master manipulator…The laugh of a serial killer.

"How do you like my show, Prince Prussia?" Kuromoji asked over a megaphone as Prussia stepped out of the limo, along with Ulysses.

"Ghastly…Simply dreadful!" The prince exclaimed in both anger and shock at the sea of dead bodies around them.

"Who the hell are you?" Ulysses shot angrily as he clenched his fist and glanced wildly around him, trying to find the source of the voice. Finally, his sights rested on a boy, clad in a brown military outfit that he had stolen.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kihara Kuromoji. I am the terrorist that you seek out. I also possessed Prince Schnitzel," the brown-haired boy shamelessly admitted.

"What kind of wicked brainwashing have you done?"

"I'm not one to divulge my secrets, gentlemen." Did the bald man really think that he was going to explain his powers to them? What idiocy! He expected better of the advisor.

"Isn't Kihara the Prime Minister's last name?" Suzuki had a hunch about who this mysterious boy could be, and he hoped to hell that he was wrong. There was no way that anyone that shady could be connected to the Prime Minister in any way. The very thought of such a thing made his stomach churn with illness.

"What happened to him? Who are you? What is your relation to the Prime Minister?" Prussia asked question after question. He wanted answers. He demanded them and the fact that his brother was going gun happy didn't faze him at all.

"You want answers?" Kuromoji asked with amusement. "I'll give you the ones I feel like giving you. So…You want to know who murdered the Prime Minister. It was me."

Suzuki's eyes widened as a round of shock went through he, Ulysses and the prince himself. He heard the bald man exclaim 'good God' as Prussia asked why he would commit such an act.

"The Prime Minister was weak. The world doesn't need rulers like him. Men who think that they are doing what's right by trying to ensure the world is peaceful…" The boy trailed with a hint of disgust for the very topic. Didn't they realize that true peace was impossible to achieve? If they hadn't gotten it by now, they were just a bunch of fools.

"Isn't that the job of every ruler?" Ulysses asked. If to make peace wasn't a ruler's job, then he didn't know what was. Terrorists like Kuromoji could never understand the concept of peace. In fact, his very kind was the reasons that people had to fear for their lives every day. People like him were the reasons for bloodshed and war.

Kuromoji took a gun from his back pocket and pointed it at the prince. Brown eyes glared down the blonde with hatred. "I hate men who sit back and oversee everything, claiming that they are some kind of peaceful ruler," he narrowed his eyes. "To think, you control nearly the entire world, Prince Prussia Vi Cossattia."

"Okay, so you hate Prince Prussia for the way he rules. What about the man you control?" Suzuki butted in. "Why didn't you just allow Prince Schnitzel to make the peace treaty with Kihara?"

"Because I hate Titannia. The Prime Minister was a fool to ever want your help. You…Ringike Suzuki, some of the famous General Ryuuzou Ringike. Ringike, who gave his life honorably in a suicide mission. You dare to defend the Titannian Prince?" It was because of royalty that his father was assigned to such a mission. Didn't he understand anything about how the world worked? Suzuki was just a little watchdog, bound by chains to that feeble-minded blonde's hands.

"As of now, Japan has no ruler. He's the only thing we've got. What my father did isn't my cross to bear," Kuromoji didn't even know what it was like to have such a thing said to him. How could a terrorist even identify with such a thing?

"You never answered the question of how you were affiliated with the Prime Minister," Ulysses brought up the question that everyone had been wondering about since the Prime Minister had passed away.

Kuromoji smiled and told them simply. "Oh, well that's easy. I'm his son."

…To Be Continued